Friday, August 26, 2016

Buyback Franken-set: Nolan and the Gang Push Me Past 100

If you've been reading along in recent weeks then you know the drill at this point, let's take a look at another ten buybacks and see if they make the cut for my newly formed franken-set. I'm still getting through the large lot on I won on eBay that inspired me to start this set, but before we get to some of those cards let's take a look at a card I sought out specifically...

1990 Topps #2 - Nolan Ryan (5,000 Strikeouts Tribute)

Nolan Ryan is absolutely dominating the first page of the franken-set binder at this point (I do plan to start showing full pages as they're completed, just haven't had that happen yet). He's already in the lead-off spot and slot #4 with cards from 1990 Topps, so this would be the third Nolan Ryan card on the opening page now. I would love nothing more than to pick up the last two cards from this '90 Topps subset in buyback form, but haven't seen any copies yet. I'm certainly keeping an eye out though...

1976 Topps #183 - Steve Braun

Steve Braun was somewhat of a pinch-hitting specialist, with over 100 career pinch hits. He would go on to work as a hitting instructor in the Red Sox minor league system throughout the '90s and early '00s. At this point his '76 Topps release makes the cut uncontested at #183.

1976 Topps #208 - Mike Lum

Mike Lum had a pretty interesting upbringing. He was born in Hawaii, his mother a Japanese woman and his father an American soldier, but was adopted and raised by a Chinese couple. Amazingly, he was very proficient as a pinch-hitter as well, and is on the short list of players with 100 career pinch hits just like Steve Braun. A complete coincidence that they ended up back-to-back in this post. Mike makes the set also!

1976 Topps #644 - Tom Bradley

Three straight '76 Topps cards here, and all three make the cut without contest. I guess this is a "sunset card", since Tom actually wrapped up his career with the Giants in 1975. Nice to get another high number into the set, as I think cards numbered 600 and above will probably be the toughest slots to fill.

1974 Topps #97 - Bob Bailey

Let's move backwards a couple of years now with a tandem of Expos from '74 Topps. I have no idea what stadium this photograph of Bob Bailey was taken at,.but it's an interesting shot. As a fan of franchises of the past I welcome any Expos card to this set. I think I like this next Expos card even a bit more...

1974 Topps #531 - Gene Mauch (Expos Coaches)

I really love the '74 Topps design, one of my favorites from what was a very good decade for Topps. The manager cards in particular are great, very happy with this one. This is actually the second Gene Mauch card to make the franken-set recently, as Mark Hoyle sent me a nice one a few weeks ago.

1973 Topps #555 - Bill Hands

Don't know a thing about Bill Hands really, but apparently he won 20 games with the Cubs in 1969. Either way, a nice '73 for the set in slot 555.

1978 Topps #150 - Bobby Bonds

A little more star power to go along with the Nolan Ryan that led off the post. Bobby's best days were behind him at this point, but it's a nice addition to my set nonetheless. I've softened my stance on his son over the years as well, he doesn't bother me nearly as much as he used to so it would be cool to pick up a Barry Bonds buyback at some point to complete the father/son duo in my franken-set. For now, it's Bobby only though...

1966 Topps #291 - Moe Drabowsky

Moe Drabowsky's life story outside of baseball is fascinating to me. Born in Poland in 1935, he fled the country with his family at age 3 as Adolf Hitler rose to power and began taking territory in Europe. The family settled in Connecticut, the state I grew up in, and Drabowsky went on to become a pitching star. This card is particularly cool given that Moe won a World Series with Baltimore in 1966, and was a key component of the team's bullpen that season. A very solid addition to the franken-set in slot 291!

1973 Topps #2 - Rich Hebner

Last card for the today is this '73 Rich Hebner. Unfortunately for Rich he's sporting the same number on the back as the Nolan Ryan that led off today's post:

Probably the easiest decision I've had to make thus far...

So long Rich!

Today's post gets me over the 100 card threshold at last! This project is moving a lot faster than I thought it would to be honest, and I'm having a ton of fun with it. In fact, this franken-set might be the most I've enjoyed any particular collecting venture in years. I hope to have another batch up for review sometime in the next week here...

The Bill Hands is a favorite for it's airbrushing, making a pre-interleague play (by more than two decades) matchup between the Rangers and Cubs at Wrigley. Also Bill Hands left the NL just before Barry Foote arrived depriving us of a Hands-Foote matchup or a possible Hands-Foote battery.